Manufacture of hydrocarbon gas



1. A. BASSETT.

Making Oil and Water Gas.

No. 26,644.. PatentedJam s, 1860. v

Witnesses= MW. r Inventor AM. PHOTU-LITH QCKLN-Y. (O$HORNE PROCESS.)

JOHN A. BASSETT, OF SALEM, MASSAGHUSETTSL I MANUFACTURE OF HYDROCARBON GAS;

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2 6,644, dated January 3,186(l.;

T 0 all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BASSETT, of Salem, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Illuminating-Gas; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, which represents in section an.

apparatus by which the invention can be practically carried out, as will be explained. The nature of my invention consists in the making of an illuminating gas from hydrogen and the vapor of a liquid hydrocarbon, by a continuous process as is herein described.

To enable my invention to be practically carried out and used, I will proceed to describe the same.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, A is a boiler made in the usual manner and to which heat is applied for the purpose of making steam, and from which the steam passes to the retort B by the pipe 0, passing through the perforated pipe D set near the bottom of the retort, which is intensely heated, and which partially converts the steam into hydrogen-the retort I have filled with coke, pumice stone, charcoal or any substance calculated to increase the heated surface of the retort, and prevent its being rapidly oxidized. From this retort the gas passes through the pipes E set in the same furnace or otherwise exposed to the same heat as the retort, in order to effect the more perfect decomposition of the steam. From these pipes the gas passes through the condenser F by which it is cooled and the condensable portions condensed. The condenser shown consists of two cylinders one being within and smaller than the other. Water is admitted between, which rapidly cools the gas. The gas passesfromj the condenser into the carbonizing chamberfG which is kept a little more than half full of the liquid 5 I hydrocarbon and is provided with a. numberi of partitions under which the gas passes through the liquid hydrocarbon. The tem perature of this chamber is always low, I

and the liquid hydrocarbon is used[co ld. From this chamber the mingled hydrogen and vapor of the liquid hydrocarbon passes it into the retort H WhlClLiS kept at thelsame intense heat asthe first retort used, where itis converted into a permanentilluminatingc gas The gas then passes into thepurifierl Wl'llCll 1s constructed in the same manner as, .160

the carbonizing chamber, andibeingftwo thirds full of waterthe gas passesunderythe I partitions and through thefwaterintothe gasometer ready-for use. 111

I believe the form ofthe retortto be and best adapted to the production of 1.

gen from steam.

I pass the steam fromfthe boiler :as fastl ij as it will pass under thepartitions inythelh" carbonizing chamber, without creating too] 1 great a pressurekand causing ittoyrush? through in too great a volume. prefer to;

keep the water lowin the boiler, or toruse a steam dometo have thest-eam perfectly dry.- 1 3 Having thus I fully described the 1 nature of my invention whatIclaim therein as new,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The continuous a f ct o mum? 5 I. Hating by carrying e ydrogelixand it the Vapor of a liquid hydrocarbon formed in the manner herein described througha rell tort. which is intenselyheated, for thefpurpose of producinga permanent illuminating Q gas. a e e JOHN ninassarrq y Witnesses: l l1 1 S. W. Jones,

I. MwNIOKLE. 

